GOP Convention: Sen. Joseph Lieberman
September 2, 2008, 11:41pm
ST. PAUL — This is the city of the Republican convention, but the biggest news tonight, at the end of the first full day of festivities, was the keynote speech delivered by a former Democrat — and not just any Democrat but the one who ran for vice president eight years ago.
Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, now an independent after being defeated in a re-election primary two years ago,
Here’s an excerpt of Lieberman’s speech:
Our founding fathers foresaw the danger of this kind of senseless partisanship. George Washington himself — in his Farewell Address to our country — warned that the “spirit of party” is “the worst enemy” of our democracy and “enfeebles” our government’s ability to do its job.
George Washington was absolutely right. The sad truth is — today we are living through his worst nightmare, in the capital city that bears his name. And that brings me directly to why I am here tonight. What, after all, is a Democrat like me doing at a Republican convention like this?
The answer is simple. I’m here to support John McCain because country matters more than party. I’m here tonight because John McCain is the best choice to bring our country together and lead our country forward. I’m here because John McCain’s whole life testifies to a great truth: being a Democrat or a Republican is important. But it is not more important than being an American.
Both presidential candidates this year talk about changing the culture of Washington, about breaking through the partisan gridlock and special interests that are poisoning our politics. But only one of them has actually done it. Only one leader has shown the courage and the capability to rise above the smallness of our politics to get big things done for our country and our people.
And that leader is John McCain.
Categories: Connecticut, Producer's Picks, Politics, Joseph Lieberman
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